Roading repair bill for Tararua hits $5m
The repair bill for Tararua District roads wracked by storm after storm in the past year has stretched to $5 million. Council strategy and development manager Peter Wimsett said it was one of the highest stormdamage repair bills for a single financial year in the district’s history. It was second only to the damage caused in the massive storm and floods that hit the wider region in 2004, and double the $2.3m bill in 1992, which was its worst year. The damage was caused in one big storm in each of the other years, but this year it was a series of smaller storms. The council’s financial year started with the district’s roading network scarred by more than 50 slips and washouts in a massive snowstorm last July, only two months after another big storm. Earlier council estimates put the repair bill at $2.1m, at least. Tararua and Manawatu¯ continued to be lashed with wild weather in 2018, which caused unavoidable delays to the repair work, Wimsett said. Heavy rain storms in March and July added further slips and damage to the bill. Tararua District Council chief executive Blair King said roadworkers had a heavy workload, but had been making good time on the repairs. Earlier this week, the council announced Route 52, between Alfredton and Tiraumea, would reopen after a year of repairs. New retaining walls have also been completed on damaged sections of Pahı¯atua Pongaroa Rd, and on another part of Route 52 near Weber. But there are still several sites around the district that need to have surveys and engineering design and construction work done, which council workers are scheduled to get to in the coming months. New Zealand Transport Agency regional transport systems manager Ross I’anson said Tararua wasn’t alone in facing an expensive cleanup after a wild year. Northland, Coromandel and Gisborne were all hit by ‘‘extreme weather events’’ in the past year. I’anson said many councils were facing hefty repair bills, and applying to the agency for emergency support. ‘‘They haven’t been particularly large events, but there have been a few more than usual ... and that adds up.’’